


Nihil Desidera

by ChaoticNeutral



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Anti-Imprinting, F/M, Leah Is So Done, Nopes The Hell Out, Twilight Spitefic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 08:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11574135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticNeutral/pseuds/ChaoticNeutral
Summary: The time has finally come! After twenty years of watching everyone else around her find their "perfect slice of forever", it's time for Leah Clearwater to receive hers. Once she becomes the subject of an imprint, that means letting bygones be bygones and riding off into the sunset with her new love.Except that Leah's already happily engaged to someone else. And is in no way interested in getting with the son of her backstabbing cousin and cheating ex-fiancé. Or imprinting in general by this point. Not when it's twenty years and too many heartbreaks too late.The others attempt to push the issue.Leah is having none of that.It's time to make a few things clear.





	Nihil Desidera

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another story originally on the forum until it was taken down. But I kind of edited it. A lot. To the point where any of you who have read it before will notice a clear difference in the later half of the story.
> 
> The ending may seem a bit ambiguous, but if I've written this properly and if you're reading this right, you are likely to go "awwww"...and maybe even tear up a little.
> 
> Any warnings? Well, it starts off kind of funny, but will get much more serious and even quite a bit dark as we go further in. Ending should be worth it, though.

* * *

 

**Nihil Desidera**

 

* * *

 

“No.”

 

“Leah...”

 

“Nein.”

 

“But, Leah!”

 

“Nix.”

 

“Leah, he’s imprinted on you!”

 

“Ne."

 

“Ignoring it won’t change what happened.”

 

“Iie.”

 

“You two are meant for each other!”

 

“Net."

 

"Leah, be reasonable!"

 

Leah could almost swear she was developing a tick around her eye with the constant stupidity. “Guys, I've learned about a hundred different ways of saying ‘no’. How many am I going to have to use before you get the message?”

 

Some part of her was hoping to find some avenue of escape. Unfortunately, she was surrounded on all sides by imprint-lovers. Jacob as Seth stood on either side of her in what she assumed was supposed to look like some display of support but what she really knew was to keep her from just leaving...the traitors. The others stood around them in a sort of semi-circle though at least had enough intelligence to keep their distance as opposed to Emily, who stood before her maybe a few feet away, hands clasped together and face shining with such overwhelming euphoria that Leah honestly wanted to ask if she was on something. Emily looked so hopefully optimistic that she was practically radiating with joy. That the joy involved was over her son wanting to get with her cousin made Leah question Emily's position as a mother.

 

And her sanity. Not that Leah thought Emily had much left after getting with Sam after he outright attacked her, the Stepford-Wife Syndrome, and as of yet unaddressed PTSD.

 

As if she didn't feel suffocated enough, she just KNEW that her own personal imprint zombie was obsessively staring at her from only a few chairs away. She could tell from the strange tingling sensation she was getting, like she could actually feel the weight of his gaze on her skin.

 

To be honest, it creeped her out enough that she actually wanted to shiver. The sense of him staring at her left her feeling exposed in more ways than one, even though she knew—or at least was fairly certain that there was no hatred or any kind of ill intent in that gaze. Still, she would have very much appreciated it if he would go stare at something else. There's a perfectly nice picture of a silver wolf on the wall. Why couldn't he go stare at THAT? She'd heard that imprinting involved some overwhelming devotion that was 'hard to resist', but she was feeling less safe and more paranoid the longer it went on. She had the unsettling inclination that that she would be jumping at shadows and cautious about corners and side-streets the rest of her walk home now.

 

So, imprint not even a few feet away. Emily invading her vision from the front, Jacob and Seth blocking her in on the sides, Embry silently at her back...he seemed at least fairly reasonable; maybe he'd let her by? And the rest of the La Push wolves and imprints were spaced intermittently throughout the room, but still somehow mainly formed in a semi-circle around her as they tried to talk her into 'fulfilling her destiny'. There was Jared, Paul, Rachel, Quil, Kim...oh, and there was Sam, way in the back there, leaning against a wall. Strange, he's watching everything with a forcefully blank face. Was he actually...gasp, AGAINST this imprint?

 

Shocker.

 

"You're not getting it! He's IMPRINTED on you! Shouldn't you be actually...y'know, HAPPY for once?" Paul demanded, at least a little snidely.

 

"This actually would explain a lot." Jared put in, thinking. "Kind of like how Jacob was attracted to Bella because he was meant to be with Nessie, maybe you and Sam were together because you both—"

 

" **Don't even finish that.** " Leah snapped. The absolute LAST thing she wanted to hear was some bullshit about her and Sam only being together because they could somehow 'sense' their destined partner was related to the other. From the small growl that came from the back of the room, it didn't seem that Sam much liked that line of thinking either. "I am not going to let you belittle my past relationship in that way so don't you even **DARE**." It was already dismissed before because of the imprint, she wasn't going to allow them to justify it either. Like HELL was she going to let her feelings and past relationship be hand waved to allow for this. Like. **_HELL._**

 

She stole a glance at the young man staring at her with hope and adoration in his wide, innocent eyes. She had to fight down a groan, but couldn't stop the loud sigh. “This is SO wrong. This is even MORE wrong than Jacob imprinting on the half-breed because at least he and Edward aren’t related!”

 

"Oh come on, sure he's a bit young, but this is imprinting!" Jacob insisted, a bit miffed at the jab. “Leah, you can’t just ignore this!”

 

Certainly not for lack of trying. She was finding this 'level of devotion' surprisingly easy to ignore. It was just everyone ELSE who were making it difficult.

 

"Leah," Emily tried. "You have to know how much this would mean to me!"

 

And why, exactly, did this have to be about Emily?

 

Leah had to struggle not to phase. Or scream. Or punch Emily and give her matching scars on the other side of her face. Or simply go into a homicidal rage and slaughter everybody in the room. That last option was looking increasingly tempting...

 

But she'd made it this long without phasing and killing anyone even when she was at her angriest, and she really didn't want to break that record now.

 

She shook her head and decided to try the talking aspect of diplomacy. "Okay look, Emily, I’ve been surprisingly willing to do a lot for you. I stayed with you in the hospital, I worked under Sam, I forced myself to continuously hang out at your house without insulting or shouting at you so much as one time, and I even played the happy bridesmaid at your wedding because it apparently 'meant so much to you' that I be there despite how much I really, REALLY didn’t want to." Cue sarcasm and the quotes gesture near the end there, because for all Emily's insistence that Leah be there for her wedding, she didn't seem to notice that the girl had disappeared before they even started uttering their vows.

 

Oh geez, now Emily's lip was trembling. Better get to the point before she starts to bawl.

 

"But I draw the line at shacking up with your kid, imprint and destiny and supposed ‘true love’ be DAMNED.”

 

"Leah, you're his IMPRINT!" Jacob exclaimed, emphasizing the last word like it was supposed to mean something.

 

Oh wait, imprinting DID mean something. Happiness and perfection and single-minded bliss for them. Pain, loss, and general annoyance for her.

 

“He is the SON of my COUSIN and my EX. Does NOBODY else see a problem with this?” Obviously not, if inbreeding wasn't factoring into the equation.

 

“It worked out for Jacob with Bella and Edward.” Seth added. Dammit, Seth! You're supposed to side with your sister, here! Stupid hero-worship! She never should have let him hang out with Jacob.

 

“Well, it's a good thing I’m not Jacob then." Seeing Emily's pouting look, she quickly turned on the girl. "And I’m certainly not going to get with your son just so YOU can have your cake and eat it, too. Real life doesn’t work that way.”

 

Sam finally deigned to remove himself from the wall and join his wife's side in the conversation now that it was starting to be about him. "Oh come on, Leah! You're not really still holding onto THAT old grudge, are you?"

 

And here we go again.

 

“Why not? You hid behind imprinting like it was an excuse! That since imprinting put you two together, that made everything you did okay. Imprinting my have changed your feelings, but it did not in any way invalidate **mine**."

 

Leah glared at them, her voice lowering into a near growl in her growing anger. The current situation was ludicrous enough, but bringing up the past always had a way of ticking her off. "Your imprinting didn’t make me stop caring. It didn’t make me not feel hurt when you left me for my cousin. It didn’t make me not feel used and tossed away when said cousin chose to accept it rather than show me some friggin loyalty. It didn’t make me forget what we had and didn’t suddenly wipe away all that our relationship meant to me. YOUR imprint has done nothing but cause me harm and yet I’M the one who’s the bad guy because you determined this to be ‘true love' by some powers you neither know nor understand. NeverMIND what you two did to GET that so-called ‘true love’ or who you had to step on for your ‘ _perfect romance_ ’."

 

Okay, so she was still bitter. Even if she'd moved on in her personal life and relationships, there were some old resentments there that weren't going away, especially since she was never really given the chance to address them.

 

Well, no time like the present, right? Especially since, one way or another, she was going to make damn sure this would be the last time.

 

"Leah, you KNOW what imprinting is like!" Sam told her. They'd spent enough time in each other's heads. Surely she knew the magnitude of his bond with Emily.

 

And sure, she knew. She knew how he felt for Emily. She also knew how he felt about her. But feelings and actions are two completely different things. And no matter how bad he felt, it certainly didn't change what he chose to do.

 

“Lets make something clear. YOU. SCREWED. ME. OVER. That it was due to imprinting or true love doesn’t change that fact. You STILL did it knowingly AND willingly without a care as to how I would be affected."

 

“God, Leah! You’re so selfish!”

 

Leah twitched.

 

Someone remind her why the homicidal rampage was a bad idea again?

 

"I'm selfish? **I'M** selfish? This is the SECOND TIME I'm trying to get married and YOU people are demanding that I abandon a perfectly good relationship for my own nephew!"

 

"Actually," Jared interjected, "he's your first cousin once removed."

 

" **DON'T CARE!** "

 

She spun back and gave Sam and Emily a glare. “Haven't you taken enough from me? Haven't you had enough yet? What more do I have to give up for you to be satisfied?"

 

 

Emily's breath hitched at that, and of course Sam was immediately at her side, resting a consoling hand on her shoulder and giving Leah a glare. "Leah, it's not about you."

 

"If that was true, you wouldn't be trying to hold me here and pressure me into agreeing to something I clearly don't want." Leah felt her hands starting to shake. She felt the tears starting to gather, but she would not— _could_ not let them show. That would be showing weakness, and right now? She needed to be strong. Stronger than ever. Because she knew, if she showed that sign of emotion, they would see it as her starting to weaken and would press her even harder to force her to give in.

 

And she was just _so tired_ of giving in.

 

"Please, Sam, for once in your life since this whole mess started—if you care about me at all, if anything we had together means anything—or even at any point meant anything to you, _for once_ just let me be happy."

 

She could see it. In his eyes, in his expression, and in the way his shoulders seemed to lower and the tension release, something in him seemed to fall apart at that.

 

Unfortunately, something else stood stronger. "This isn't about that."

 

"Yes, it is. Because everything that's happened up to now is exactly why I'm refusing and why I will continue to refuse."

 

That was certainly not what he wanted to hear, as he immediately tensed and lashed back. "Are you still going to harp on about that? We couldn't help how we felt!"

 

It was the standard, age-old answer. One that they'd both stuck to so often they probably believed it was actually true by now. But she held her ground as well. She'd long held a belief of her own about that, and she was finally in a position to call them out on it. "It may have been ‘true love’ for you, but that doesn’t excuse how you went about it! I mean, if you two were bound to be together, fine, it couldn’t be helped because it would have worked out that way eventually no matter what. But at the VERY LEAST, you two COULD have tried to be at least a little considerate of my feelings BEFORE running off together into the sunset and then realizing you had to go back home eventually and that I would still be there.”

 

“We didn’t need YOUR permission to be together! Our lives don’t revolve around you.” Sam insisted, angrily.

 

"But you expect mine to revolve around you." Leah retorted, just as angry. “Because Emily’s the one who’s been crying because I refused to talk to her and you’re the one who forbade me from leaving and finding someone new while YOU got to show off how happy you were with her—only to get mad at ME for ‘not understanding’ and ‘not being okay with it’ when I would respond. If you had cared the slightest bit about me, you could have at least held off on moving in together and having the pack meetings at that house where I’d be forced to watch you two be lovey-dovey around each other, or constantly coming to MY house together to get input from my parents, demanding my involvement in your lives, or announcing your big wedding and expecting ME to be a bridesmaid because ‘I owe it to you’. You could have at the bare minimum at least backed off and given me space. But you didn’t do THAT, either. Because it made YOU feel bad that I didn’t want anything to do with you. Neither of you gave me a thought when you got together. All you cared about was that you got what YOU wanted."

 

She could almost feel the glares from the other occupants in the room, her own imprint zombie aside. But she kept her gaze on the happy parents of said zombie, determined that she see her point through.

 

“Don't act like it's any different now. Because here we are, with your son imprinted on me. That must be a dream come true for you, since now I can ‘see the magic that is imprinting’ and understand what you went through so I can finally forgive you for it and act like you didn’t do anything wrong.” She gave them a ‘look’. “Bull. Shit. My problem with you two isn’t your imprinting; it’s how you acted regarding it. Because since you figured you couldn’t be blamed for the imprint making you two get together, you went about it any way you felt like and to heck with the consequences."

 

"We couldn't help the imprint! Everything else was secondary to each other. That was the imprint at work! We can't help that!" Emily almost looked frightened and her voice quivering. _Good._

 

"Right, because the all-powerful ‘imprint’ automatically excuses everything you do." Leah sneered. "So then you're allowed to stab me in the back, then turn around and expect me to conveniently forget all that and come running at your beck and call the instant you need something from me? What the hell is wrong with you two?"

 

"This isn't about us!" Emily cut in, growing desperation obvious in her features. "This is about YOU, Leah. You and Harry."

 

Oh, NOW it's about Leah. Anything that gets the attention off things they don't want to think about, right? Of course, it's all for Leah's sake. And of course isn't it just so _convenient_ that if Leah and Harry become an imprint couple, that will somehow magically force forgiveness from Leah and acceptance of Emily into her forsaken cousin's life.

 

"Who is my nephew, not my lover. And that is not going to change."

 

“Come on, Leah! At least give us a reason! Just one!” Jacob begged. Wimp. Why was he alpha again?

 

“I’ll do better than that.” Leah gave him a glare as she held up her hand. “I’ll give you five. One, he’s less than half my age. Two, he’s the son of my back-stabbing cousin, which makes this at least some form of incest. Three, he’s ALSO the son of my ex-fiancée who LEFT ME for said cousin because of imprinting, leading to reason number four in that I fucking **HATE** imprinting in all its forms as it has done nothing but SCREW ME OVER time and again. And of course, there’s the ever important reason number five which is—in case you’ve forgotten, which I have no doubt you have— **I’M ALREADY INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE!** "

 

“You have to leave him. Harry is your true love, Leah!” Was Emily always this stupid or was there not enough oxygen getting to her brain through the little imprint bubble she was living in?

 

“No, he’s my cousin’s son. My cousin’s UNDERAGE son, which would make this both incest AND pedophilia.”

 

“Actually,” Jared cut in, “the term is—”

 

“ **DON’T. CARE.** ” Leah hissed at him before turning back on the wannabe parents-in-law. “You are trying to pimp out your son! Does that not seem just the SLIGHTEST bit wrong to you?"

 

"I don't want to hear this, Leah." Of course he doesn't. Sam never wants to hear when he may be wrong. "Despite everything, Harry imprinted on you. He...he _needs_ you."

 

"No."

 

"Leah..."

 

"NO." She took a deep breath, trying to find the words. “It’s taken me years— _YEARS_ , Sam—to rebuild my heart and finally trust someone enough to give it away again. Dean was with me every step of the way, helping me put back together the pieces of my heart **YOU** shattered when you dropped it like it didn’t mean a goddamn thing. Now, when I’ve FINALLY decided to give love another try—when I‘ve FINALLY found someone WORTH trying for, **YOU** are telling me I can’t be with him because ‘imprinting says’ I have to be with YOUR SON?” She shook her head, forcefully. "No! I am not doing that! I absolutely refuse!"

 

"But we all thought you couldn't imprint! You've certainly made enough of a fuss over what all this means for you." Paul commented. "Now you finally have someone imprinted on you, and you're still not satisfied?"

 

“Because I don’t want an imprint." At least, not anymore. "I want love—REAL love! The love I had with you, Sam, and the love I carefully and tenderly rebuilt with Dean.”

 

“But Leah," Emily cut in, confused. "This is everything you’ve wanted!”

 

Everything she wanted? No. She HAD everything she wanted. She had it when she was with Sam, before he met Emily and waltzed off with her. Now she finally has it again, only to be told once she steps through the door into the Uley household that, oh yeah, by the way, she has to give it up again.

 

It never ceased to amaze her how the two could never seem to make up their minds. She still remembered with perfect clarity how Sam wished she would disappear. And yet when she gave him what he wanted, he wouldn't let her go. And yet, he couldn't even face her himself. He never could. Because he knew.

 

“No, this is what YOU wanted FOR me. I was perfectly happy finding love the ‘normal’ way. Sans magic and imprint and whatever the fuck is controlling destiny. Complete with the fighting and making up and getting to know the other person gradually over time instead of having someone pre-set to be ‘everything I could want’.”

 

Maybe she DID want imprinting at one time. Rather, she wanted to be the one TO imprint. To forget about Sam. To not have to carry around her old feelings anymore. And as proof that she wasn't a genetic dead end. Imprinting would have fixed all of that. No more sadness or anger. No more emotional attachments to people who hurt her where she's tearing herself apart because she hates the people she couldn't help but love regardless. No more pain or being broken. Just bliss. Happiness and joy and only having to think about that one person.

 

 

But years passed without it, and honestly? She thought she was better off. She saw how Jacob turned out, going from avidly against imprinting to adoringly doting on an infant. It was creepy, and while imprinting may have been an escape from the pain she so desperately wanted to leave behind, she quickly realized that there were other ways. Better and healthier ways that didn't involve having your entire self and everything that made you 'you' twisted and ripped away. She had someone who loved her as she was, for all that she was. She wanted to hold onto that.

 

“But why—?”

 

Because imprinting wouldn't have fixed anything. That would have just been escaping from her problems, it wouldn't resolve them or make them go away. And it wouldn't have made anything better for her. Not the way she thought. Not the way she'd wanted it to.

  

“Because imprinting is supposed to be perfect and perfection is boring." She tapped her chin in mock thought, her vindictive side showing through. "Then again, if imprinting is supposed to be perfect, then why has it caused so much damage?"

 

"Imprinting hasn't caused any damage!" Sam argued. "We're perfectly happy and fine with how it went!"

 

"It damaged me." Came the soft reply. "It damaged you." She notedly rested her gaze on Emily, drawing everyone's attention to her scars that, even after so many years, never faded.

 

"Love," Leah stated, "should never be the reason to hurt someone, especially if it’s as ‘wonderful and pure’ as imprinting is supposed to be."

 

Sam shook his head and stepped forward, trying to take the attention away from his wife. “This is ridiculous! You should be over me by now!”

 

Leah rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m over you, Sam. WAY beyond over you in case the fact that I’m currently seeing someone else has slipped your mind. But what you did? What you BOTH did and the way you went about it without so much as giving a THOUGHT as to how I felt? THAT was a betrayal, Sam. And no—I’m NOT going to ‘get over it’ or forget it ever happened simply because it suits you when it comes to something ELSE you want from me.”

 

There was a lot of eye rolling and dark muttering around her. It seemed nobody was taking her seriously or even taking much notice of her words. Not far from the usual, and honestly, she should have been used to it by now. Leah was angry, sure, but more than anything, she was just feeling drained. She was tired of arguing over the same old thing, tired of everything always turning around to be about Sam and Emily even when it SHOULD be about Leah. Maybe it is partly Leah's fault this time, but at the very least, she was going to make sure it would be the last time.

 

Emily clutched Sam's hand in her own, as though afraid Leah would try to pull him away from her. “Leah, it’s been almost twenty years! You need to let Sam go! He's happy with me and we've built a happy life together!”

 

Leah sighed, holding her head in her hand in exasperation. “You guys are just not listening! How many ways can I say it? I don’t want Sam. I am OVER Sam. You two can go ride off into the sunset and have your happily ever after for all I care. What I DIDN’T appreciate and what I still hold against you is the crappy way you BOTH treated me and how even NOW, you both STILL continue to disregard my feelings!”

 

“We care about your feelings!” Emily insisted. Leah almost laughed, but much like most of her other feelings she had today, held it back. As far as Emily was concerned, she was a good person—a good cousin, after all. She was always there for others—baking and cooking and cleaning and just be helpful! How could Leah say she didn't care? Somehow, her breaking girl code and shoving her relationship with Sam in Leah's face went completely over her head. Emily did like to show off, and Leah was good for showing off to. Leah couldn't even say that Emily did it maliciously...just ignorantly. Because Emily always did have a short attention span for things that didn't involve herself.

 

“No, you don’t." Leah cut back, flatly. "Otherwise, you would LISTEN when I say that I don’t want to get with your son. I don’t want to this relationship. I don’t want to ruin MY relationship. I don’t want to hur—"

 

She cut herself off, eyes wide as she remembered another very important fact. “He has a girlfriend. How do you think she’s going to take this?”

 

Sam shrugged, a little uncertain, but stubborn. “But it wasn’t true love for them! She’ll understand!”

 

Hearing him say this so callously filled her with such _anger_ so reminiscent of her earlier days. Didn't he **_THINK_**? Didn't he even _**CARE**_? She clenched her fists and forced herself to speak through gritted teeth. “No, she won’t, Sam. Because I sure as hell didn’t back when I was in her position—heck, I STILL don’t and it’s been twenty years!

 

“But I thought you had forgiven us by now!" Emily cried, her lip wobbling and her scars stretching in an ugly manner. "I thought you understood it was imprinting and couldn’t be helped! You seemed like you accepted us being together!”

 

“Oh, I accept that you two are a couple. But that doesn’t mean I accept either of you having a place in my life. I am not Jacob!" Thank the ancestors, because another Jacob Black was the absolute LAST thing anyone needed. "And I am NOT going to live out the rest of my life as the wife of the son of the bitch and bastard that screwed me up!”

 

"So what, then, Leah? You're going to be stubborn and make our son miserable just to get back at us?" Sam shouted. "Just because YOU have issues doesn't mean you should take it out on others, and I refuse to let you drag my son into this!"

 

Leah brightened and stood to leave. "Great! Then I'll just be on my way—"

 

"Dammit, Leah! He's IMPRINTED on you! Being without you HURTS him! Whatever relationship or issues you have aren't as important as this! You are going to accept this imprint and treat him right!" Even as he demanded it, it looked as though the words had left a bad taste in his mouth. If it was any other situation, Leah probably would have called him out on that.

 

As it was, she simply gave him a flat stare. “So you’re telling me that, yet again, you’re going to take away something that I have put YEARS of effort into, that has given me some form of happiness after the heartache I’ve had to deal with since the LAST TIME you took it away from me, and that I have to give in and accept it with a SMILE?”

 

“Of course not!” Emily exclaimed, appalled, masterfully stepping in for her husband to try and act as though she at least cared about Leah's feelings even while she tried to drag Leah into doing something she clearly didn't want to do. Emily was rather good at that. The whole 'bridesmaid conflict' proved that much. “I know you cared about Dean very much, and this relationship was important. After all the time you spent together, it’s still something to be treasured—”

 

Did anyone notice how she's talking of the matter of the already established still current non-imprint relationship in the past tense? Leah did.

 

“Oh, don’t give me that, Emily!" Leah snapped with a roll of her eyes. "You didn’t care that Sam and I had a relationship built up over YEARS when you accepted him. And you, Sam, didn’t care that Emily was my best friend and someone I trusted when you got with her. And—even now! YEARS later, neither of you care that both of us are ALREADY WITH SOMEONE ELSE! You just HAVE to make this about **YOU** and insist that I have to YET AGAIN give up something I WORKED HARD FOR, so **YOU** can have what **YOU** want.”

 

She sent a sweeping glare across the room to everyone—pointedly avoiding the heartbroken gaze she knew was being sent her way from Harry. Poor kid had nothing to do with this other than his misfortune of imprinting on her, and she would hardly fault him for that. But dammit, after so many years, she would have thought the lot of them would grow up some and start considering alternatives. Or at least consider her own feelings. THAT would have been nice, but sadly, was apparently too much to ask for. Maybe Leah was selfish in hoping for some understanding. Or foolish—probably the latter. She didn't get much sympathy or understanding back then, so why was she expecting any now?

 

"I’ve put years of effort into this relationship—just as much as I did for you, Sam. I have put my all into recovering, moving on, and loving Dean." She felt a small bit of satisfaction at his wince, but didn't dwell on it long and kept her focus on what needed to be said. "And you’re telling me that, once again, without my permission or ANY consideration to MY feelings, I have to give it all up because ‘ _it’s imprinting_ ’?”

 

Jacob shrugged. “She’s got a point.” He admitted, though that would hardly put him back in Leah's good graces after all this.

 

“Shut up, Jacob!”

 

“Leah, just tell me why?” Emily pleaded, eyes tearing up again. “This proves everything you ever thought about yourself as a female wolf wrong! This shows that there is more meant for you! This is your _chance_ at happiness and love! Why are you so unwilling to even _TRY_?”

 

And that was the kicker, wasn’t it? The ultimate question.

 

Was she scared? Sure, but of what? The fear she had wasn’t about the relationship or imprinting. Questions about if it was real and whether he would truly care for her for who she is instead of what the imprint tells him were dancing around in the back of her mind, but were not the true source of her refusal.

 

Was she angry? Hell, yes. For all the reasons she’d stated and more. Angry at Sam for giving in so easily, the rest of them for taking imprinting as gospel, and at whatever higher power ever thought forcing people to be together would be a good idea. Even angry with herself for wasting so much time blaming herself for something she had no control in.

 

So, what was stopping her?

 

Nothing. But as far as Leah was concerned, she wasn’t being “stopped” from anything. Because it wasn’t about not trying. No, if anything, she wanted to put all her effort into trying. It’s just that what she wanted to try for and what they wanted her to try for were two completely different things.

 

It wasn’t a matter of Leah not trying to imprint.

 

It was all about Leah trying to **fight it**.

 

And she would put every ounce of effort she could into that goal, if only for one reason.

 

“Because I hate you, Emily.”

 

Emily jerked back as though she had been stung.

 

“More than imprinting, more than the leeches, even more than any amount of hatred I held for myself back when I actually believed you and Sam running off together was somehow MY fault...I honest to god **_hate you_**.”

 

The others gaped at Leah in shock—even though they knew she was angry, they never thought she actually detested her cousin on such a level. Emily was openly in tears at this proclamation, before now never having even considered that she could do anything to cause her cousin to not love her anymore. Sam growled in anger at the emotional harm flung at his imprint, but Leah hardly let that stop her.

 

“The only thing I hate more than you is the thought of being anything like you. And if only for that reason alone, I’m going to do what you couldn’t...or at the very least try what you _wouldn't_."

 

Leah burned with a silent fury, her words were deceptively calm, but still so very cold and cutting. And Emily finally seemed to realize just how much Leah meant it—meant everything she'd said up to this point.

 

"I am going to do everything in my power to not be like you." Leah swore, both out loud to the astonished group of onlookers and, more importantly, to herself.

 

Because somewhere outside of this house, there was a young girl in love with this boy who had just imprinted on his ‘soul mate’.

 

Once upon a time, that girl’s name had been Leah.

 

It didn't matter that she didn't know this girl. She refused to be the Emily to this new Leah. Whatever it took.

 

“And WHEN I succeed—because I WILL—it’s going to be with the knowledge that I was able to do for a complete stranger what you wouldn’t even TRY for your own family." Not try and MEAN, anyway. From the way Emily was making googly-eyes back at Sam from that first meeting on, Leah highly doubted her one refusal had any real intent behind it.

 

Even though it had been years and she had long since moved on and formed new relationships, Leah hadn't forgotten how it had been for her. The pain she had felt at that time was indescribable. Her love leaving her. Her sister betraying her. Friends, family, everyone wishing blessings on the new couple while begrudging her for simply being there first. So having experienced it herself the way she had...Leah knew, without a doubt, that it was something she never wanted to put anyone else through. Even if it meant giving up the only real happiness or the only 'true' form of love she could ever have, she would do so gladly.

 

Because she would never be able to stand herself otherwise.

 

"But..." Sam actually stuttered a bit, trying to keep up an argument he knew had already failed. "Imprinting is the ultimate form of love! Don't you want that?"

 

“How is imprinting so great? Because you’re ‘in love’? Because it makes you feel ‘whole’ or ‘complete’? Because you feel a ‘pull’ towards a specific person? Is it an 'automatic, world-changing moment'?" Leah asked with a dark sneer, a bit disturbed with herself. She hadn't felt like this—hadn't BEEN like this since she was forced to constantly see the imprint through Sam's eyes as a wolf and how GREAT it had been for him that he had broken her so completely. "I know that feeling. I’ve experienced it on numerous occasions. It’s called ‘infatuation’, based in ‘LUST’. And it’s not something worth ruining several years worth of a relationship over. Especially not when its someone else’s pre-existing, fully functional and HAPPY relationship.”

 

She looked her cousin right in the eyes, ignoring Emily's silent attempts to be strong through her tears and bear the brunt of Leah's justified and long-overdue tongue-lashing.

 

“I will not ruin that for them.”

 

Leah took a breath, feeling her resolve strengthen.

 

“I am not you, Emily. I refuse to be.”

 

Because a long time ago, she was nearly destroyed because the people she believed loved her had done this exact thing. Because they felt ‘destiny’ and a ‘sure thing’ was a good enough excuse to give up everything they had. And though she was harsh and cruel and even an outright bitch to people, she would _never_ forgive herself if she chose to be so weak as to do the same to anyone else.

 

It may not have made sense to anyone here, but although Leah had never met this girl Harry had loved before setting eyes on her and having the imprint take hold...

 

By their circumstances, Leah knew that they were still so very much alike.

 

Finally, Leah turned away. She was done here. As far as she was concerned, she'd said what she needed to say and whatever they did from here was their own problem. She just wanted out of there, and so made her way for the front door. And everyone else finally had the sense of mind to stay out of her way and not try to stop her. She was out of here. Out of here and out of her cousin's life the way she should have been all those years ago had all those involved not tried so desperately to hold onto something they'd long since thrown away.

 

And that was when the ‘kind’, ‘caring’, ‘strong’ Emily Young cracked and broke down in sobs, sliding to her knees, even as her eyes never left Leah's figure.

 

“It—it was love! Why can’t you SEE that?" She shouted, hiccuping and gasping for air, her face an ugly shade of red that made her scars stand out even more. "Love is supposed to be worth it, isn’t it?”

 

Leah only gave a moment’s pause, wondering. “You should know, Emily. Was it worth it?” And without another glance back, she was out the door and—even with the sounds of heartbroken sobbing and anger-fueled insults fading out from behind her—feeling freer than she had in years.

 

It was...a rather nice feeling.

 

* * *

 

 

She only made it a few blocks when she heard the shouts.

 

“Wait! Leah, wait!”

 

Oh yeah, she'd forgotten about her new stalker-to-be. She’d hoped her speech back there would have been enough to prevent any followers, but some are simply too stubborn. Kind of comes with imprinting, she supposed. But it didn’t make her any more willing to talk to her own personal imprinter right now, either.

 

“Leah!”

 

She sighed. There was no getting out of this. Even though she didn’t look back, she could hear him running and knew he had all but caught up to her. Not that she had been walking very fast or even made it that far, but still...

 

“Please, Leah! I know my parents hurt you and I would do ANYTHING to make up for it! Just...PLEASE...”

 

She stopped, but didn’t turn to face him. No matter how she felt about the situation, she had no right to take it out on him. Even if he did imprint, he was still innocent. For now, at least. He deserved to know her reasons.

 

He deserved a **_chance_**.

 

“Don’t mistake my intentions. I don’t absolve them of blame for what they did, and I admit that it does play a part in why I refuse this. But I have no intention or desire to make you suffer for their actions. That isn’t fair to you because you had nothing to do with the situation. Nor do I wish to make them suffer through you. The absolute LAST thing I want right now is more suffering, and THAT is why I refuse.”

 

Well, calling Sam and Emily out on their bullshit notwithstanding. But that wasn't meant to make them suffer, either. She just wanted them to understand, for once, that there were consequences. That it wasn't just them and their love story, or that they could ignore and hurt and abuse anyone who didn't fit in with it. She wanted them to know— _really know_ —what their actions...what their willful choices have cost them. That when they hurt people, those people stay hurt. That imprinting doesn't just make everything better for everyone. And finally that some things...just can't be fixed.

 

Sam and Emily just couldn't get that. Not even after all these years. Not until Leah finally told them her true feelings. Heh, if she'd known this before, she would have simply told them sooner instead of lashing out at everyone else in anger. But then again, everyone else at that time were just as bad, so she was hard pressed to feel too guilty.

 

But she'd spent enough time focused on them. It was time to let go. _Really let go_. For good.

 

There was one last thing to do, though.

 

"Come with me. I need to show you something."

 

Obediently, he followed along behind her like a puppy. She'd have considered it cute if it weren't so fucking creepy. She could feel him staring at her back, no doubt so enraptured he couldn't even struggle to look away—couldn't even want to. On the plus side, this meant he didn't get lost.

 

But still fucking creepy.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been some minutes since he caught up to her, and his heart practically sung with joy that she didn't turn him away. He loved her. He wanted to show her that. He wanted her to love him in return, and he was sure that if he could just somehow resolve things with her, that he could fix things and make them better. He didn't know how just yet, but she was letting him come with her and this was a start. So he followed her, his eyes trailing over every detail he could see of her vintage as he walked along behind her. Every strand of hair seemed to stand out to him, the curve of her neck, the tenseness of her shoulders—wait, tense? She was still so tense? He wished he could smooth that away and maybe see how she looked without that burden of stress and negativity. He wanted to rage at his parents for putting that on her in the first place. Perhaps once done here, he would. But she had something to show him.

 

So for now, he followed.

 

Finally, they reached their destination. A house. Not as nice as Sam and Emily's, and not too far away from them either. He struggled for a moment to remember where this was or why it was familiar. Leah seemed to know, though.

 

"Here we are."

 

He stared at her in confusion. Leah didn’t face him, but instead turned to look and nod to the house they had stopped in front of. Uncertain, he looked back over as well and it took him a near minute to realize that the house they were standing before was Leslie’s.

 

Something in him felt cold at the realization.

 

Leslie...he’d completely forgotten about her.

 

Leah’s gaze didn’t waver from that house with the light left on near the window by the girl in love with the boy who had just found his soul mate. A girl who was still innocent and unaware of the sudden change that had taken place in the span of a second that would tear down her innocent and naïve world around her—just like Leah had been, so many years ago.

 

“Waiting for you inside that house is a girl who loves you with all her heart. Loves you without imprinting—without some ‘higher power’ forcing her to. Loves you because what she built with you means something special to her. And more importantly, loves you because she’s CHOSEN to love you instead of BEING chosen to. If I accept the imprint—if I decided not to fight it because of an excuse as weak and petty as ‘destiny’ or ‘it’s meant to be’, then you would have to leave her and the heart she freely gave you would be broken.”

 

He winced. He didn't want Leslie hurt. He'd just been so sure that everything would work out that he didn't even consider. "But...it would be okay, right? Dad said..."

 

"Sam's an idiot who understands nothing about what it's like on the outside of an imprint." Leah hissed at him. Not out of anger towards him, he could sense that much, but toward his father for telling him wrong. "She wouldn't understand. Any attempts to explain it to her without revealing anything would only sound like flimsy justification. All she would know is that you suddenly left her. And that you left her for an aunt?" Well, first cousin once removed, but whatever. "Yeah, hate to break it to you buddy, but her being disgusted with you for dumping her to engage in incest would be the best case scenario. Worst case? She'll want nothing to do with you. Ever. She'll blame you. She'll blame herself. She will despise every moment she spent with you. Everything you had? Every beautiful memory? Tarnished just like that. She'll never be able to look back on any part of your time together without feeling some sort of negativity. She'll regret all of it—and regret ever opening her heart to you in the first place."

 

He definitely didn't want that. Any of that. He didn't want Leslie disgusted with him. And he certainly didn't want her to hate him. Never _hate_ him. But she would, wouldn't she? Because there had been nothing wrong with their relationship before he imprinted. Everything was going well and she would have no reason to even think that they would break up at this point. For him to just up and end it with her out of the blue with no forewarning and no reason...what else would she have to rationalize it? How COULD she? Without either blaming him when imprinting wasn't his fault or blaming herself when she really did nothing wrong. Even if it didn't destroy her, would she even still be the same happy Leslie he knew? Things would never be the same between them. And he...

 

He didn't want that to change.

 

He slowly turned to Leah, unable to stop himself from gaping.

 

“I know this, because once upon a time, I was that girl. The man I was going to marry imprinted on my cousin. And rather than try to fight it or even stall it out of any real love for me or the relationships I had with both of them, they gave in and waltzed off together, ‘conveniently’ forgetting all about me." She clenched her fists, remembering. "Then they had the GALL to pretend to be confused and hurt that I was still angry about it when they decided they needed something from me. I hated them for that. And now that I’m here again, seeing how absolutely nothing has changed...I still hate them for it. That’s not just going to go away."

 

Harry wanted to console her. Leah didn't deserve any of what happened to her. She was wonderful and perfect and anybody would be happy to have her. He would be happy to have her.

 

...But how would he be any different? Especially when he was doing the same thing?

 

He winced.

 

She saw this and frowned. It was like she could see right through him and know what he was thinking. Of course she did, and he loved her for it. “It's confusing, isn't it?" She asked him. "I'm sorry. Imprinting was never so clear cut, regardless of what the others claimed. It's dependent on the people involved. In this case, you and me. I know I'm not making it any easier, and I wish I could say I'm sorry for that, but that's perhaps the one thing I'm not sorry for in this situation. If we don't try, no one will. And this is something I...I have to _know_."

 

She looked away, biting her lip for a moment before speaking. "And that is why I choose to fight it. If only to prove to myself that, as much of a ‘bitter harpy’ I may have become and despite everything I may have done at that time, I would do it differently if given that same opportunity...so that I wouldn’t be like _her_.” Like Emily. Her cousin. Her former best friend who found it so easy to toss ‘family’ and ‘loyalty’ out the window, ‘give in to destiny’, and betray her because it was convenient. Who could only be so happy and talk about love so easily because she wasn’t the one who had to work for it—to lose anything to get it. Other than her cousin, but what’s family when it comes to love, after all? Besides, ‘she’ll come around eventually’, right? At least, that’s what Emily obviously kept telling herself. It was pretty clear that Leah had no intention of ‘coming around’. Ever. Or if it wasn’t clear before, it sure as hell should be now.

 

Leah smiled sardonically and gave a little shrug. “Who knows? Maybe it is true love and I’m simply delaying the inevitable.” She gave him a determined nod. “But I’ll tell you what...we won’t know for sure if it’s worth it or if there isn’t something better until we go for it. I’m going to at least try for something different—for my sake, for yours, and especially for hers.” For Leslie, a girl she had never even met. Leah smiled, softly. “And of course for Dean, because he’s been with me this far and he deserves everything I can give him. The very least I can do is try to fight for him.”

 

She touched her heart, smiling in a soft, sad way. “My fighting...my ‘stubbornness’, as they call it...THAT is how I show my love.”

 

He didn’t understand. Everything just seemed to ‘click’ into place once Leah appeared. What could be better than this bond? What did Dean have that he didn’t that made him worth so much more? And yet, her words stuck with him, and some part of him realized that this was about more than that. It wasn’t about Dean. It wasn’t about his parents or revenge. It wasn't even about sticking it to whatever higher power was doing this to them.

 

It honestly shocked him how surprised he was to remember that there were other people—other things outside of the imprint. It was all he could focus on—with any other thoughts flitting away before he could really grasp them. The idea of Leah NOT choosing him...of any reason for her to not accept the imprint...it was something he couldn’t even consider until she forced the matter. And he wanted to fight for it. He wanted to prove himself to her. He wanted to show her how wonderful it was, that he was everything she would need if she would just give him the chance.

 

But...it wasn't about that, was it?

 

If it was simply a matter of uncertainty on Leah’s part over which guy she should choose, he would have fought tooth and nail to prove himself. If it was for revenge over her past heartbreak, he would have rejected his own parents if it would have appeased her. Before following Leah to the street in front of Leslie’s house, he had even forgotten that he’d ever known a Leslie—much less that she was his girlfriend, and here he had been perfectly willing to leave her without a word.

 

And that... _that's_ what's wrong with imprinting, isn't it?

 

It had never occurred to him that this state of consciousness itself could be the problem. Or even the potential consequences of that mindset, so long as he was with Leah. He never even considered that _he_ might not want to be with Leah. That she was his _aunt_ —technically his mother's cousin, but still related. That she was decades older than him and he was still maturing. Or that he honestly didn't _know_ this woman—he knew next to nothing about her, just that she was now everything to him.

 

Was that really okay?

 

They both stood there in silence for a time, each caught up in their own thoughts. He was confused. The imprint made him want to do anything to make her happy, but it was the imprint she was unhappy about. So...what could he do? He wanted to fix this, but he didn't know _how_. The thing that made him want to fix it is what needed fixing. How does he fix THAT? He just...wished he knew what she was thinking. But he didn't know her. Not like his Dad did. Or...thought he did. There was just too much there. And he was so very young. He couldn't be what she needed because he didn't know what she needed. There was just so much confusion. And more than anything, he wanted to _understand_. 

 

"Please."

 

"Hmm?" She looked to him. Not quite confused, but more encouraging him to continue.

 

Throughout all this time, it had been like muddling through a fog. And it felt like for the first time since locking eyes with Leah, that he could actually _think_.

 

"It's not just Mom and Dad. You told me that—you _showed_ me that." Of this he was certain. It was one thing he DID know about Leah. She was harsh and cold, but not as cruel as the others claim she was. "Because if it was for revenge, you would have accepted me out of spite just to have me hurt them—that would have hit them the most. More than refusing me would have, because you would have been taking me away for good instead of just pushing me away from you. And—and you're not like that. Because you didn't do that." Because she was better than that. Because she was still so loving and protective and— **no, stop**. It's for a _reason_.

 

"And...it's not just about imprinting." He continued when she didn't interrupt him. "Because it's finally giving something back and you wanted it before even if not now." That was one thing he was able to pick up on. The way she paused when the others pointed out how much she'd wanted it. She _had_ wanted to imprint before. "But that was to imprint, not to be imprinted on, so it wasn't quite the same. But it was still something. And Mom had told me that she felt a tug to Dad as well, so it can't be completely one-sided. So I know you care about me."

 

"Kid, I've known you since you were born. Of course I care. I never needed an imprint for that."

 

Oh. Well, that was kind of nice to know, actually. And she had remained focused on him and what he was trying to say rather than focusing in on the mention of his mother. Probably not the best thing he could have said, but her response or rather lack of in this case only showed the truth in his words. He only realized too late that she might jump on the statement from his mother. But she didn't. That gave truth to her earlier statements and also told him he was on the right track.

 

"I just...you said you wanted to _know_." Know that she could do it. Know that it could be done. Know that she, if no one else, at least TRIED to fight the imprint.

 

"But it isn't about pride, either." Because Leah Clearwater was a proud person, but not one to act out of pride. She said to him once before, long ago, that doing so only got people hurt. It sounded like she knew from experience.

 

"So you need to know, about this at least. But...I need to know something, too. So...please, Leah."

 

He looked her in the eye. Not begging. Not demanding. Just asking. Because just like she needed to know it could be done. He needed to know this one thing.

 

"Just... _why_?"

 

He resisted the urge to brace for backlash, remembering how Leah had responded to that very question in his parents' home. He could still feel the tension from that time—remembering the underlying rage in Leah's voice as she so calmly and coldly explained to Emily just how far her hatred of her reached, even after all these years.

 

Leah, giving credit to his impression of her, paused at that question and didn't respond. She remained silent, thinking. And he in turn was also silent, waiting for the answer and giving her the time to put it together.

 

And finally, answer.

 

“I am still a very bitter woman." He wanted to argue that, tell her she was perfect, but knew she had more to tell him. "But I like to think that I’m simply more knowledgeable about life than the others who have all had everything handed to them so easily.” She smiled. “And I’m stronger for it. I can resist that temptation, because I’ve seen the other side. Seen it FROM the other side. And I have to tell you, now that it’s being offered to me...it just doesn’t look as great as they make it out to be. But that’s just my view."

 

She was wise. And strong. He couldn't help but admire her.

 

Loyalty to those she cared for. Concern, even for those she didn’t know and had never met. Empathy for a girl who has no idea just how close she was to losing everything.

 

Harry winced, remembering his position in all this.

 

"Maybe it doesn't seem like it, but I do still love them. Not as much as I did. Not to the extent that I did. But still, in my own way, I do. And so..." She stretched a bit with a grin, almost as if in anticipation. "I’m going to fight for what means most to me. Do you know why?"

 

Confused and a bit uncertain, he shook his head.

 

"Because deep down, we need this. We all do. Especially you. You're still what...16? 18? You've still got a life to live. Places to go, things to see and do and experience...and imprinting kind of takes away from that. After all, can't experience much if you're stuck here and your focus is solely on me and what I'm doing instead of what else is out there for you."

 

Suddenly, he understood. She was fighting for him, too. Even as she was working against what was drawing him to her...she was doing it for his sake as well as her own. Because she wanted _him_ to be free. To have options. To have a life of his own choosing.

 

Fighting is how she shows her love, indeed.

 

“And in a way, despite what everyone may believe, it’s for them, too.” She said, nodding her head back in the direction of the house where muffled angry shouts and Emily’s sobbing could still be heard. “None of them are willing to TRY and fight the imprint. And it’s not because imprinting is ‘true love’, despite their claims as such. It’s that they’re too scared to, because it would mean everything they’ve known up to now was a lie. It would mean losing their excuse for everything they’ve done. It would mean having to accept that they had—that they always have had—a choice...and that in the end; they chose not to choose. They're all too scared of giving up a sure thing that they refuse to make a try for something better."

 

He listened to her words, taking them in and considering their meaning. Some part of him wondered what could be better than being with her? But she was older, wasn't she? She'd been around for a good few years, so she would know more about what all is out there.

 

He wished the imprint bond worked like the wolf hive mind so he could know what all she already knew. To make her happy or maybe even to understand why anyone would prefer not to have the happiness he feels when he's with her—the same happiness he knows his parents feel around each other. She'd always known of it but never been part of it. And now, she no longer wanted to.

 

“Choice...the freedom to make one’s own decisions...to opt how to live one’s own life. I never realized how precious it was before.” She gave a sad chuckle. “Or rather, I had forgotten for a while there."

 

She glanced back to the house they stood in front of, wistfully, before facing him once more. “Fight for your choices, kid. Fight for your right to determine the type of person you want to be...the type of path you want to walk in life. Not because you think it’s what I want or what they want...or even what she wants...but for yourself...for your own sake. So you don’t end up like _him_. And she doesn’t end up like _me_. And so that neither of you have to spend the rest of your lives wondering what you could have had if only you’d just _tried_. Don't waste your life away in regret simply because it's easier."

 

She gave him one last look and a sad, genuine smile before she turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone on the pathway. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to follow her this time. Instead, he forced his gaze away from her retreating form and back to the house before him, feeling oddly empty and morose as he was left with nothing but his own thoughts and a difficult task ahead.

 

Sighing and with little else to do, he approached Leslie’s house. At the very least, he owed her some explanation for missing out on their date. But part of him didn’t want to talk to her. After all, what could he possibly say? ‘Sorry about not showing up, Leslie, but I saw my aunt only a few hours ago and I found out that she is my soul mate? Sorry, but I hope we can be friends?’

 

He blinked. Honestly, it hadn’t sounded nearly so stupid before he actually thought it out.

 

Was this how his dad had felt when he broke up with Leah for his mom? Was he this confused back then, too? Did he feel any guilt over what he’d done? Any sorrow for what he was going to do to the girl he was with for the sake of the imprint? How had he been so certain it was the right choice?

 

Sometimes, while phased, he could see the memories some of the older wolves had when they thought of about Leah. Of how she and Sam used to be. Of what they became once he imprinted. He had thought back then that the difference between what they were like before and how they both ended up afterwards was alarming—even disturbing. Because Sam and Leah had been so _happy_ back then in their relationship. So vibrant and alive—with its ups and downs and twists and turns that the relationship between his parents, for all their happiness, seemed to lack.

 

Even now, thinking back to the argument less than an hour ago...while he had been mainly focused on Leah, he’d still noticed how his parents reacted. The expressions on both their faces. The way his mother broke down when Leah revealed her true reason and depth of her hatred. And the way his dad’s gaze lingered on the doorway, following Leah’s path out of the house and out of his life instead of focusing on the woman to whom he was supposed to give all support and concern at a time when she certainly needed it.

 

And before then, throughout the conversation, before it had turned into an all-out argument...his father's gaze never left Leah’s form. And when it had first become clear that Leah was the object of Harry’s imprint, there was shock, but no true joy to be found in his father’s eyes.

 

That’s when the meaning behind Leah’s words suddenly clicked.

 

_There was regret there._

 

Even now, years later, after all this time with the woman he was apparently destined for... _Sam Uley still had regret for giving her up._

 

Was this what he wanted for himself? Was this what Leah wanted to prevent for him?

 

Harry’s hand hesitantly rested on the doorknob, unsure how to proceed from there.

 

"Maybe...maybe she’s right?"

 

Before he could move, he felt the doorknob turn under his hand and the door open. Without thinking, he glanced up from the knob to lock eyes with Leslie and couldn’t help but freeze.

 

She'd been waiting hours for him, through the evening and past midnight. Surprised and happy to see him, she smiled warmly in clear relief. “You’re back.” Her eyes almost twinkled in the dim light of the foyer behind her. All tension and stress seemed to evaporate now that she was able to confirm he was safe. She'd been clearly worried about him and was just glad to see him safe more than anything. They were going to have a talk about this soon enough. He'd have a lot to answer for. Where he had been. Why he missed their date. Why he didn't call.

 

But none of that registered with Harry.

 

Because in that moment, with her bright eyes and kind smile...

 

She had never looked more beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is latin for "Regret Nothing". Given the nature of the story and the rationale behind the main decisions made (despite how dark and sad that rationale is), I felt this was most fitting.
> 
> This is by far one of my most favorite anti-imprinting stories I've written yet, and one of the only ones that actually ends on a good note.


End file.
